


Something Dave Can't Fix

by RebaK1tten



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Angst, M/M, post episode
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-23
Updated: 2012-10-23
Packaged: 2017-11-16 21:01:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/543775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebaK1tten/pseuds/RebaK1tten
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Postscript to 8.03.  The conversations with Alex and Spencer apparently bothered me.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Something Dave Can't Fix

One thing Dave has learned in his three plus years with Spencer is that he’ll talk when he’s ready.  Dave can see that something is on his mind, but he’s not talking yet. 

He didn’t talk on the drive home or very much over dinner and now they’re sitting together quietly on the couch in the living room.  Dave had a wood fireplace put in a year ago and they’ve used it more than he thought they would.  Dave was fine with the gas fireplace, quick to turn on and off and very clean, but Spencer likes the crackling of the logs and the way the flames flicker.  Plus, Spencer likes the house warm and wears less when the fireplace is lit, so it’s an easy compromise for Dave.

Dave’s reading a paperback, with Spencer’s head on his lap and Dave is gently playing with his hair.  Spencer has a book, but apparently it’s just a prop and is now face-down on his stomach. 

“You know, Dave, Alex asked if I have Asperger’s.  I was pretty surprised by that, but I guess I can see why she might think that.  I do have a lot of individual characteristics.”  Spencer picks at the pages of his book and at his fingernails – anything to not look at Dave during this conversation.

“Yeah?  So?  What did you tell her?”  Dave asks gently.  They’ve talked a little bit about Spencer’s social awkwardness around strangers, how he doesn’t like to shake hands or be touched in general.  To Dave, it’s just Spencer.  He was surprised when Alex mentioned it and expected Spencer to say something cutting, and was surprised when he played it off.

“Well, I kind of didn’t answer her.  I mean, I haven’t been diagnosed with anything on the spectrum.  Never diagnosed with anything,” he says, finally looking up at Dave. 

Of course Dave knows this; he read Spencer’s file when he first came back to the FBI, long before he and Spencer were a couple.  “Well, I have a lot of characteristics of an incredibly hot, sexy man.  And also of a cranky, old coot.  And actually, I’m neither one, I’m a mix of those and a lot of other things.   All of which roll up into a package you love, right?” Dave gives one of Spencer’s curls a gentle tug.

Dave gets the quick smile he was going for.  “Yeah, but there isn’t an actual ICD-9 code for sexy old coot.  The best I can do for you is dementia.”  Spencer sighs and turns towards the fire.  “It’s just weird thinking people I work with might be trying to analyze what my ‘symptoms’ might mean.  Does the team do that?   They probably already have and Alex is just new and mentioned it.  Do LEOs do it?”

There’s not a lot Dave can say to this.  Yes, the team has made comments about what they speculate is Spencer’s condition, although much less now that they’re a couple.  Or at least not in front of him, which is something to consider. 

Some of the LEOs are overwhelmed by just having the FBI there at all; after all, they’re only called in when things are bad and everyone already has a short fuse.  Then the team comes in and they’re the ‘experts’ with Spencer the expert-of-experts and…yeah, sometimes not-so-nice things get said.  And wondering if the geeky agent has autism is one of the nicer things Dave has heard.

“You know how it is, Kitten.  Even though we’re invited in, we’re not always really welcome.  And our team and our team’s strengths, including your brain, makes people insecure.   And yeah, people talk trash when they’re insecure.”  Dave says this and continues to stroke Spencer’s hair.   He can feel Spencer thinking this through as he watches the fire.

“She apologized later and I said it was okay and I suppose it is. It’s just…I’m supposed to be able to be me around the team.  Not be their definition of normal, but normal for me.  I guess I don’t know what I think about this.”  Spencer continues to look at the fire and Dave pets his back.  He’s not sure what to say, what comfort he can offer his partner. 

“How about I a run a bath and we can have a nice glass of Moscato?  That sound okay with you?”  Dave asks.

Spencer sits up and gives Dave a small smile.  “I’m tired, I think I’ll just go to bed early.  You stay up and read and enjoy the fire.”  He leans forward, and rests his forehead against Dave’s and gives him a gentle kiss.   “I’ll be myself in the morning.”

“Okay, sure, an early night might be good.  Do you want me to start a fire for you in the bedroom?”  It’s another fireplace that Dave was glad to spend money on.

“No, I’m tired, probably won’t enjoy it.  I’m okay, really, David,” Spencer says.  “I love you.”

Dave kisses him again and watches Spencer go up the stairs to their bedroom and then sits and watches the fire until it turns to ashes.

 

 

 


End file.
